And despite it’s well-trodden tourist trail, Europe is also scattered with unique, odd, and extremely obscure sites and attractions that visitors often overlook. Museums dedicated to currywurst in Germany or phallic objects in Iceland; odd sculptures and street art installations in Sarajevo, Prague, and Paris; and the uniqueness of Antoni Gaudi’s works in Barcelona offer visitors respite from admiring yet another baroque church or breathtaking vista.

While the Eiffel Tower or Colosseum are at little risk of losing their prestige to many these lesser-known sites, visitors seeking offbeat attractions will find plenty to marvel at in Europe. During our time exploring this continent we stumbled onto our fair share of unique, obscure, and sometimes plain weird sites. Here are a few of our favorites.

Gnome Sculptures – Wroclaw, Poland

Hundreds of small bronze gnome sculpture, about a foot in height, are scattered through the historic core of Wroclaw, Poland and surrounding neighbourhoods. “Cool” gnomes riding motorcycles, wizard gnomes in tall pointy hats, and environmentally conscious gnomes pushing recycling bins are tucked into corners, suspended form lampposts, and hidden in plain sight for those that know where to look. Anyone want to play I spy?

Comic Strip Murals – Brussels, Belgium

“Yoko Tsuno” – You can really see the size

Much like Gdansk’s gnomes, the city of Brussels is dotted with epic murals depicting a range of famous and obscure comic book characters. Tintin (and his little dog Snowy) is likely the most famous characters to appear in these murals, however even non-comic book reading visitors are sure to spot a few other familiar faces while exploring the city. They murals even have a Wikipedia page.

Pregnant Lady Street Art Installation – Prague, Czech Republic

image via

A contender for the strangest piece of public art we’ve seen to date, this sculpture depicts a pregnant lady, kneeling on the ground with her legs spread and her hands firmly clasped behind her head. Still not obscure enough for Prague, the sculpture is created out of shiny aluminum and is very reminiscent of a lego sculpture.  Overtly sexual, somehow the sculpture works in Prague, even if passing school children look up at it with puzzled expressions.

Carmo Convent – Lisbon, Portugal

Rows of large arches

Ruined by earthquake in 1755, today all that remains of Carmo Convent are the beautiful Gothic pillars of the former church and a small museum. These exterior elements of Carmo Convent are quite stunning, especially on a sunny day, and the site’s museum houses two Peruvian mummies from the 16th century – an off-putting display that only gets creepier upon closer inspection. A real contender for oldest human hair we’ve ever seen in person.

Pere Lachaise Cemetery – Paris, France

The presence of graffiti shows we are in the right place

As far as cemeteries go, Pere Lachaise is far from the strangest we’ve had the chance to explore. What makes Pere Lachaise so unique is that it is the final resting place for The Doors frontman Jim Morrison, whose headstone has grown into something of a shrine. Forty plus years since his death, fans still leave flowers, graffiti, and the odd joint in tribute to Morrison, while a security guard watches to ensure no one jumps the guard rails surrounding his headstone.

Museum of Broken Relationships – Zagreb, Croatia

Rage and Fury Room (via)

It’s always a good sign when you first hear about a quirky museum like this while washing your laundry in an equally quirky laundromat in Dubrovnik, Croatia, and as promised, the Museum of Broken Relationships did not disappoint. The museum’s premise is quite simple – helping people emotionally overcome a failed relationship by contributing to their collection. In under an hour we browsed the personal belongings of hundreds of contributors from around the world. Some of these displays were funny, others angering, touching, or the equivalent of emotional napalm, but all were wonderfully quirky.

Abandoned Beelitz Sanitorium – Berlin, Germany

Delving deeper into Berlin and it’s tumultuous history, I signed up for a tour of the abandoned Beelitz Sanitorium just outside the city limits. A short walk from the primitive train station, in a small clearing, three buildings sit in a horseshoe shape. Constructed in 1902, these buildings first served as a tuberculosis clinic before becoming a hospital during both World Wars, even treating then soldier Adolf Hitler during the first World War. During the Cold War, this site was the largest Soviet hospital outside of Russia before being deserted in the early nineties. Many a rave have been held here since, and while the crumbling buildings are beginning to show their age, their original beauty is still evident.

Museum of Art Fakes – Vienna, Austria

Small space, big art (fakes)

Incorrectly reading the hours of operation for this tiny museum, Travis and I returned three times before we finally got our timing right, however all this back and forth was completely worth it to delve into the world of art fakes. In addition to learning about the immense level of effort that goes into creating an art fake, from the aged paper used to specific hardening processes, brush strokes, and in one case egg yolk washes, we were able to come face to face with fakes so good that they were verified as authentic and sold for millions of dollars.

Europe offers visitors so many different types of attractions, it really is a mixed bag of so many wonderful things. Have you had a chance to visit Europe? What’s the most off-beat or quirky attraction you’ve seen there?

The post Offbeat Europe – 8 Unique and Lesser Known Attractions appeared first on Have Blog Will Travel.

Having now spent more than 6 weeks in all but two of the former countries that made up Yugoslavia (sorry Macedonia and Kosovo!), we felt is was high time we articulated our favorite experiences from this often overlooked region of the world. While not as popular as Southeast Asia or Central America, the entire Balkan region provides diverse history and culture at a fraction of the cost of Western Europe (we averaged $94/day total for 2 people, and we didn’t scrimp on comfort or meals out).

So without further ado, here is our list of the most unforgettable experiences we had in the Balkan region (in no particular order):

Witnessing the spectacular views from Dubrovnik’s Old Town Walls

Hiking the Old Town Walls is perhaps the quintessential Dubrovnik experience. The same structures that once provided protection for the city now provide visitors with some of the most amazing views around. Get there early to avoid the crowds!

Surviving the Eternal Derby in Belgrade

Attending (and surviving) the Eternal Derby between Red Star and Partizan in Belgrade was probably one of the most thrilling things we’ve ever done while traveling. From the noise to the flares to the fires in the stands, this was not your mother’s North American sporting event.

Hearing the call to prayer for the first time in Sarajevo

Sarajevo (and most of Bosnia for that matter) is an exotic departure from the rest of Europe. Coming from British Columbia, where Muslims constitute less than 2% of the population, hearing the call to prayer from our open window in Sarajevo for the first time was  a surreal experience – and one we will not soon forget.

Hiking through Plitvice Lakes National Park

Plitvice has it all, crystal clear turquoise lakes teeming with fish, countless waterfalls, beautiful wooden walkways and bridges, and hundreds of kilometers of hiking trails. It is truly one of the most beautiful national parks we’ve ever been to – and we live in British Columbia!

Stuffing ourselves with fresh seafood on the Adriatic Coast

One of the best things about traveling through the Adriatic towns in Montenegro, Croatia, and Slovenia was the abundance and affordability of seafood. Fresh fish and squids are available nearly everywhere along the coast, and you can easily get more than you can eat for less than $10.

Getting lost in Sarajevo’s Baščaršija

Sarajevo’s old Ottoman market (or Baščaršija) is unlike any other market you are likely to see in Europe. Built in the 15th century, the marketplaces contains a maze of wooden shops selling everything from traditional Turkish coffee pots to tourist souvenirs. Be sure to fill your water up at the fountain in the courtyard of the 16th century Gazi Husrev-beg Mosque.

Exploring Lake Bled and the Vintgar Gorge

From the moment we put Slovenia into our plans we knew that Lake Bled was going to be a must-see place – and it didn’t disappoint. However, what we didn’t expect was to find one of the most beautiful little parks we’ve ever set foot in, the Vintgar Gorge.

Discovering Ancient Cities along the Bay of Kotor

The UNESCO-listed Natural and Culturo-Historical Region of Kotor is one of the most dramatic locations in all of the Balkans. A place with something for everyone, this region of Montenegro has everything from hiking and kayaking to walled cities and island churches. If that wasn’t enough, the bay is breathtakingly beautiful.

Kayaking the crystal blue waters of the Adriatic

A spur of the moment email to a young tour company based out of Split, Croatia ended up providing us with one of the most fun adventures we had in the whole region. Spending a day  seeing the city from the sea is a completely different experience, and one we would wholeheartedly recommend.

Learning about the history of Yugoslavia throughout the region

One of the things that we found most prevalent among the incredibly friendly people we met throughout the Balkans was their openness in talking about the wars and the breakup of Yugoslavia. From tour guides to our hosts to people we met in trains, everyone was willing to share their stories of the war times with us – and we were more than happy to listen and learn about such an important subject (and one we knew relatively little about before visiting!).

So there you have it…our favorites from the Balkan region. Have you ever been to any of these countries? What did we miss?

Sharing this post over at Chasing the Donkey – check out all the submissions for some great travel inspiration!

The post Best of the Balkans appeared first on Have Blog Will Travel.

Italian inspired dishes with local twists are very common.

As you may expect, given the locations we traveled to (mainly along the coast), Croatian and Montenegrin cuisine revolves extensively around the fresh daily seafood catch from the Adriatic. Squid and octopus, mussels and clams, and fish of all imaginable shapes and size are featured on menus everywhere.

Fried squids and grilled fish at Buffet Fife in Split

Seafood risotto and grilled squids with fresh greens at Cesarica in Kotor

Squids galore at Lokanda Peskarija in Dubrovnik

Pasticada with gnocchi

Freshly baked traditional pastries

Delicious pizza with fresh local prosciutto

The post Travis Eats His Way Through Europe (Part 2 – The Adriatic Coast) appeared first on Have Blog Will Travel.

We failed to foresee any problems with catching a game on the night of our arrival in London – after a nine hour flight and significant time change. However Travis was able to fulfill a childhood dream, making it all worth while. And hey, the home team won!

 

Zagreb

Cordoba’s Mezquita

The post Half Way Mark appeared first on Have Blog Will Travel.

After our rave reviews about Zagreb (here), we thought a bit more detail about our favorite attractions was needed. If you’re like us and foolishly allocated only one day in your trip to Zagreb here are our top five, must-see, miss-at-your-peril, attractions.

Church Ceilings

Yes the entire church is nice, however the hand painted ceilings in the Franciscan Church stole our attention. Painted a deep cobalt blue, speckled with golden stars, and framed by looming white stone pillars, we couldn’t look away. Need another reason to visit? Rumour has it that St. Francis of Assisi himself lived at the monastery right next door for a significant period of time.

Painted to resemble the night sky – it reminds me of the great hall at Hogwart’s

In the Kaptol neighbourhood of Upper Town, the Franciscan Church and Monastery are just down from the Cathedral on Kaptol Street – look for the spire (visible from the Cathedral) and head around the corner for the main entrance.

Dolac Market

Just a short walk from the crowded pews of the Cathedral is Zagreb’s most famous open air market. Affectionately known as the “belly of Zagreb”, the market features fresh produce, cured meats, and a fish market, and is a great opportunity to shop amongst the locals or try something new. We couldn’t resist buying some fresh peaches, a pomegranate, and some Croatian mandarin oranges.

A Croatian Mandarin Orange – absolutely delicious!

Crates of fresh fruit tempt us at the open air market

The market is easy to recognize with all those red umbrellas

The Zagreb fish market

Look for the red umbrellas, it’s impossible to miss. The main food market is on Dolac Street, however there are stalls selling crafts, clothes, and home goods stretching up Opatovina as well. The market is open everyday (with the exception of public holidays) and closes by 4 pm (2pm on Sunday).

Museum of Broken Relationships

We first stumbled upon this museum in a travel magazine (while waiting for clean clothes in Dubrovnik’s adorable Launderette), and upon researching a bit further we realized it was ranked as the third best attraction in Zagreb on Trip Advisor. The premise is simple, emotionally overcome a failed relationship through creation by contributing to the museum’s collection. In a little under an hour, we browsed the collection of personal belongings donated to the museum from individuals around the world – each holding meaning of a previous relationship. The displays include write-ups from the specific donor, sometimes a few words and sometimes many, some clearly explaining the item’s meaning, others a more interpretive poem or prose, and we found it extremely interesting and touching. Some of the exhibits are funny, others extremely moving and heartbreaking; one we both liked is the “Mira Furlan” bowl…

The museum has toured internationally and now has a permanent collection in Kulmer palace in Upper Town next to St. Mark’s Square. Admission is 25 Kuna per person, operating hours can be found on their website here.

The Art Pavilion

Although choosing a favorite building in Zagreb is difficult, the history surrounding the Art Pavilion made it stand out for us. Located in King Tomislav square, near the train station, the building was originally built to serve as the Croatia Pavilion at the Budapest Millennial Exhibition in 1896. Afterwards, the building was disassembled and transported to its current location in Zagreb. Opened in 1898, it currently houses contemporary art exhibits. Looking up at the building’s intricate details and grander, it’s unfathomable to picture how it was transported and reassembled. The bright yellow facade is definitely eye catching as well.

Meteorological Post

At the far end of Nikola Subic Zrinski Square sits a unique concrete post, easily overshadowed by the flowerbeds, elegant tree lined promenade, wrought iron bandstand, fountains, and statues. However, upon closer inspection, the intricacies of the Meteorological Post become more evident and tremendously fascinating. Recording the weather since 1884, it’s possible to check not only the temperature here but also the air pressure, time of day, and many other meteorological measurements.

There’s lots to see and lots to explore in the beautiful city of Zagreb, and we would recommend a stop there to anyone in the region.

The post Zagreb Top 5 appeared first on Have Blog Will Travel.

Some of the gorgeous architecture found throughout the historic core

Involved to a minor extent in the Croatian War of Independence, Zagreb seems more impacted by a lack of post-war funding than the war itself. Most of the apartment buildings surrounding the centre core date back to the 1970s and 1980s and clearly show their age, with mismatched awnings and laundry drying in the sun only exaggerating the worn appearance; but, look closer and you quickly realize the streets and sidewalks are open with an abundance of green space, and modern glass buildings are slowly taking over the landscape. Oddly juxtaposed between worn apartment buildings and sparkling glass shopping malls is the ornate historic centre, Croatia’s best kept secret and the focus of our visit to Zagreb.

The Croatian State Archives

A pretty street view during the summer

The Art Pavilion, reassembled here after the 1896 Budapest Exhibition

Crossing under the main bus station, the historic part of the capital unfolds before you. Divided into two parts, Gornji grad (the Upper Town and medieval core of the city) and Donji grad (the Lower Town) and connected via funicular (a short and very steep train type of transportation) the historic core offers wonderfully preserved and maintained heritage homes, large expanses of park, cobblestone streets, statues, fountains, churches, and museums to explore.

One of our favorite elements of this area were the brightly painted buildings that line almost every street and feature intricately carved moldings and decorative elements. Each doorway, window frame, and eave is an individual piece of artwork, making it possible to become swept up in the intricacies of just one building for hours at a time.

The wonderfully lush Nikola Subic Zrinski Square

One of the prettiest churches I’ve ever seen, Franciscan Church Zagreb

Produce for sale at the Dolac market

Both upper and lower towns also offer numerous tree lined parks, making it easy to find a quiet place to sit and take in the beauty of the area. Each park also has its own unique historical connection – a natural spring water fountain that supplied drinking water to the town; a meteorological post that’s been recording the weather here since 1884; a statue in honor of Croatia’s first king – making their exploration not only enjoyable but a must in any guidebook.

The Cathedral’s neo-gothic facade

Spire restoration – the Cathedral went into decay during the Communist reign

The Cathedral’s clock stopped during the 1880 earthquake

Finally, a tour of Zagreb’s historic core would be incomplete without some time dedicated to exploring the countless museums, palaces of a bygone aristocracy, and intricately designed churches and cathedrals. It’s nearly impossible to choose favorites and luckily you shouldn’t have to as most of the area can be explored in a day (although we found it a bit short and would have preferred two).

It’s easy to see why the people of Zagreb flock to the area in summer – the atmosphere is wonderfully youthful among the beautiful architecture and historical sites. Overall, a wonderful gem is hidden away in Zagreb and reason enough to make the city more than a stop over on your way to the coast.

St. Mark’s Church with amazing roof tiles

The post Croatia, Going Out With Style in Zagreb appeared first on Have Blog Will Travel.

The city of Trogir from the water – the bridge opens up to let boats pass

We decided that taking a boat to Trogir would provide a different view of the area, so we set off for the harbour and hopped on the small boat that ferries tourists and locals alike to and from Trogir. What we had forgotten, however, was that there had been a huge thunderstorm the previous night, in turn it had made the seas a bit rough. Well, more like very rough. Despite the waves, causing the boat to involuntarily replicate the Indiana Jones ride at Disneyland, it proceeded to chug along and eventually we made it to Trogir.

During a moment of calmness we snapped this photo of the boat

As we left the boat and regained our land legs, the view towards the historic centre made it quickly apparent why Trogir was inducted as a UNESCO World Heritage site in 1997. The city has been continuously lived in for over 2300 years, and its core is a blending of Greek, Venetian, and Roman influences. The historic city center is actually an island, separated from the island of Ciovo and the mainland by narrow bridged canals.

Palm trees line the city’s promenade

A Sailboat awaits it’s crew in the canal

Kamerlengo Fortress sits quietly beside the canal

The city is like a postcard. An expansive palm-lined promenade allows tourists and locals to enjoy a cappuccino while gazing enviously at the million dollar yachts tied up along the canal. 15th century walls surround much of the city with the magnificent 17th century city gate allowing the droves of visitors to enter after enjoying said cappuccinos. Churches and palaces ranging from the 13th to 15th centuries, many still with the original coat of arms of the families who once resided there, enchant the imagination with their stunning architectural features. An finally, the Cathedral of St. Lawrence caps it all off. The massive structure took hundreds of years to complete, a fact which is evident in the mixing of styles of the Romanesque-Gothic basilica. What really makes the area really special however, is the portal on the west entry, a masterpiece of art by famous Croatian sculptor Master Radovan.

The entire city could be explored in just a few hours, but spending some time getting lost and finding hidden treasures in the winding back streets makes it a more rewarding experience. We wandered around looking in shops, exploring the narrow streets, and snapping hundreds of pictures.

Hidden details can be found throughout the city

Beautiful details carved into the stone of a building

The Cathedral of St. Lawrence

On our way back to the dock to catch the boat home, we discovered that the waves and wind were preventing the company from running the ferry. We were informed that we should probably take the bus instead. We made the short walk over to the bus station and caught the city bus into town. It took about an hour and was a fairly comfortable ride, although less scenic that the boat.

We thoroughly enjoyed our trip to Trogir and would recommend it to anyone visiting Split, or Croatia for that matter. It was also a fabulous day for taking photos, more can be seen on our Flickr page (just click on the “photos” link on the top menu bar).

The post Trogir, Getting There is Half the Fun appeared first on Have Blog Will Travel.

The morning of our kayaking adventure we waited on our apartment front steps placing bets on what kind of vehicle would pull up to greet us, laughing at how silly three people would look piling onto a scooter. The car was unmistakable with a couple kayaks tied to the roof and we quickly realized we were the only tour participants for the day – a private guide for three and a half hours? The “steep” price just became a great deal!

As we paddled around Marjan hill, a protected park offering lovely scenic views, our guide Mario pointed out many of the buildings along the shore including a marine biology research centre and one of many summer homes of previous Yugoslavian president Josip Tito. A wealth of information, Mario shared some fun facts about the tourism industry and the stone quarry utilized to build the White House. After a few hours we got our first glimpse of the Old Town from the harbor; although it was a bit busy with cruise ship passengers being ferried to shore, Mario was patient and waited to guide us across during a lull in the traffic (and after our arms had a little rest).

After three and a half hours of paddling we were happy to spot Drazen and his little car on the shore* – our ride home after a long morning. We took a moment to swim before getting changed into dry clothes and piling into the car as the first inklings set in of how sore we would be the next day.

*We may or may not have paddled past a nude beach of sorts during our trip, or perhaps it was just a coincidence that so many naked men were tanning themselves on the rocky shore. Either way we took in a bit more “scenery” than we paid for…

Have you ever traveled to Split? What was your favorite thing to do?

The post Split Kayaking Adventure appeared first on Have Blog Will Travel.

Split’s city walls – looking down from the city’s large belltower

An illustration of Diocletian’s Palace, Paris 1912

Initially constructed in preparation for Roman Emperor Diocletian’s retirement  in 305 AD, Diocletian’s Palace was more a luxurious villa/military camp  than a palace. Complete with a main square, public and private apartments, and various religious buildings including a cathedral and mausoleum, the rectangular palace was surrounded by huge gates and watchtowers. After being abandoned by the Romans, the palace sat empty until the 7th century when nearby residents sought refuge there from invading barbarians. It has been occupied ever since and is now one of the most famous and complete remains of a Roman Palace.

Perhaps what sets Split apart from many of the other fortified cities along the Adriatic coastline that we’ve visited lately, is the way in which the more modern city has swallowed up the ancient historic centre. Unprotected as an official heritage site until 1979, urban development pushed up around Diocletian’s Palace before breaching the gates and spilling onto the worn stone streets.

A sphinx sculpture sits in the main square, only three of the original thirteen that were housed in Split still remain today

Stone buildings are the majority in Split

The entrance gate on the East end of the Old Town

As a result, modern storefronts and family dwellings stand in contrast with Roman architecture dating back thousands of years, often covering or replacing it completely. The result is a Frankenstein-esque aesthetic and unique atmosphere where Lacoste clothing stores compete with ornate cathedral belltowers for the attention of the tourist hoards on a daily basis.

The Cathedral’s belltower of Diocletian’s Palace looms over the city

The narrow staircase leading to the top of the belltower

It’s unfortunate that it’s so difficult to decipher where the ancient sites once stood. From the top of the belltower of the Cathedral of St. Duje, it is possible to make out a few stretches of stone fortification still intact, however don’t look away, the buildings on each side tend to blend together and with just a blink of the eye the portion of wall you spotted moments earlier has disappeared, swallowed up by the city.

At first I was a bit disappointed by the palace and Old Town as the surrounding neighbourhoods encroach on the historic sites making them hard to admire and ultimately suffocating the Old Town (there’s a running joke in Split of a tourist asking where the Palace is, and a local informing them they are already in it). After an hour on our first day we toured the Cathedral of St. Duje and its crypt, the main square, and the Temple of Jupiter – where were the thirty foot walls to climb or the ancient fortress perched on a mountain top to explore?

Cathedral Crypt where it’s said Diocletian was buried

Local produce for sale at the daily market

What I had yet to realize is that half the tourism draw to Split is the opportunity to marvel at the ancient world and bustling modern city interwoven, as a fully functioning city including historical sites, modern shopping centres, and a daily market offering local produce, fish, and household items, all within the Old Town centre. It’s actually quite amazing to look around at daily life unfolding around you as it has every day for thousands of years.

I’ve heard a rumour that visitors often struggle to fully appreciate both Dubrovnik and Split, and if a tourist loves one they won’t like the other; however, after exploring each city over the past week I’d challenge this perception. By taking each city for what it is, and not trying to make it anything it isn’t, it’s very possible to fully enjoy all that Split and Dubrovnik have to offer.

The post Split – Just Another Walled City? appeared first on Have Blog Will Travel.

The beautiful walled city

Most visitors these days seem to be on some sort of organized tour, and spend their day walking the Stradun, exploring the magnificent baroque palaces and churches, and walking the city walls before enjoying a nice meal in one of the hundreds of restaurants in old town. And we have nothing against that. However, if you have a little more time to delve deeper into the city, Dubrovnik reveals many interesting and rewarding attractions to capture your imagination. This was made easier by the fact that we had nearly 4 days in which to do our exploring.

Stradun – the main walking street in town

Dubrovnik Cathedral

The Jesuit church from below

We spent our first day in Dubrovnik doing what most tourists backpackers do when they arrive and quickly made our way over to Sanja and Rosie’s Laundrette to clean our stinking clothes. The Laundrette definitely deserves a mention as it was a fantastic place to spend the morning enjoying a pastry and some juice as our clothes were finally given reprieve from the accumulated sweat and dirt of the past few weeks. Classic 50’s music filled the place and countless travel magazines and books were available for us to peruse at our leisure. Plus, the owners were from Vancouver!

Travis waiting for laundry

With freshly-washed clothes in our bags, we spent the rest of our day actually doing what most tourists do when they arrive in Dubrovnik, and that meant spending time simply admiring one of the most beautiful and photogenic cities in the world. With camera firmly attached to eye, we explored the dozens of churches and palaces, hiked the steep steps of the narrow back streets, and climbed around on the rocks that surround the base of the city walls. We snapped over 300 photos our first day and finally made our way back home after more than 14 hours of exploring. Needless to say, we were exhausted.

The ominous city walls

A view over the rooftops

A walk on the city walls

Some views you can only get from up top!

On our second day, we were for a little bit more than just photographs, and we decided to explore the other side of Dubrovnik that you tend to only hear whispers of. Looking at the majority of the old town these days, its hard to imagine the destruction that the city and its residents experienced just 20 years ago. Dubrovnik unexpectedly became a focal point during the Croatian War of Independence, and remnants of the events that took place are still around even to this day. The city and its people were mercilessly shelled for over 3 months and much of the old town sustained heavy artillery fire. Roads, walls, and roofs were torn apart by the shells, with some buildings even being burned to the ground. The people lived without power and a fresh water supply for months, and consistently fled to the underground safehavens scattered around the city to avoid being hit themselves.

A photo from the bombing

A map showing strikes during the siege

Much of the destruction in the old town has since been cleaned up and restored, save for a few ruined buildings and some unfilled bullet holes. Much of the evidence that still remains is only found outside of old town, and we decided that we would spend our morning on a quest to find one of them. We found an intriguing lead on NerdyDayTrips which mentioned a number of deserted and ruined hotels along the Adriatic coast. With a little exploring on the internets, we were able to find out that one of these hotels was close by. We spent our morning exploring the site we found, the Hotel de luxe Belvedere. This was perhaps the highlight of our stay and you can read about it in its own post!

The Hotel Belvedere in all its abandoned glory

Graffiti at Hotel Belvedere

An abandoned hallway at the hotel

After spending a good part of our morning and afternoon exploring the ruined Hotel Belvedere, we made our way back to the old town for a slice of pizza, and then made our way to one of the attractions that we were most excited about after learning of its existence. War Photo Limited is a small photography gallery that has rotating exhibits featuring the best in the emerging field of war photography.

On our final day in Dubrovnik, we decided to get up early (before the cruise ship passengers arrived) and wander the city walls.Just about everyone that visits Dubrovnik does this, and it quickly becomes clear why once you get up there. Sweeping 360 degree views of the old town, the Adriatic coastline, and the city outside the walls are available from nearly every vantage point. In addition, there are numerous bastions and lookout points to explore.

The cable car up Mt. Srd

The fort that held off the attackers – built by Napoleon

Empty shells collected after the end of the siege

We finished off our day with a trip up the new cable car. It only takes a couple minutes to reach the top where amazing views await. From the top you can see kilometers down the coastline, as well as to the mountains of Bosnia and Herzegovina. In addition to the great view, the wonderful Museum of the Croatian War of Independence also calls the top of Mt. Srd home. House in a fort built by Napoleon, it recounts the bravery of the soldiers and citizens of Dubrovnik during  the siege, where they were out-manned and outgunned, but still remained strong. It’s a shame that most people don’t take the extra hour to explore the wonderful museum.

All in all, we thoroughly enjoyed our time in Dubrovnik. It is probably the busiest we have been thus far on our trip, but in the end it was all worth it.

The post The Many Faces of Dubrovnik appeared first on Have Blog Will Travel.